C.A.R.E

Since it's E-learning day yesterday, I didn't have lessons. But there was a seminar thingy on CAREvolution.

Anyway the main take away for me, which I thought is going to be very useful is "power notes". What is this exactly? To my own definition, its little notes (doesn't matter what paper it is) and written with compliments or praises or even encouragement for some one or some little notes you want to give to people.

This might be an exceptionally good and rather 'cheap' thing to give to our students. These priceless things comes with a price - sounds ironic. But probably praises and compliments from you are free but they meant so much to anyone else.

These messages are so effective, be it to your students or friends or colleagues, male or female, I'm rather sure these little notes mean so much more than a sweet given to them as a prize or what so ever.

In the seminar, everyone wrote notes (at least 3) and gave it to our colleagues and friends. I gave it to my CT as well as most of the NIE trainees. Words of encouragement, love, etccc. But of all, I really felt I was 'something' after reading my CT's power note to me, when I was feeling down and lousy after a whole hectic week. It made my day, all the power notes and the encouraging words.

What do you think about these notes?

Tarnishes on silver! SOS!

Ever encounter tarnishes on your silver wares and you totally have no idea how to remove it?

Few weeks back I was so annoyed when I saw my piece of silver jewellery plus it was a gift from my friends for my 21st birthday! I am not quite sure how it got tarnished but I suspected someone accidentally dirtied it with some liquid. But again tarnishes could be a result of many things so I was not really sure too.

Eekie tarnishes which made me so sad, stains of brown and bronzy thingy on the surface ):

I happened to remember the Japanese variety show I watched on TV weeks back on how they manage to "revive" the shiny surface of the silver.

Materials:
Bowl (Actually a small one will do, mine was too big)
Aluminium foil
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp Bicarbonate soda
Hot water

Boil some water and pour into the bowl with the mixtures and dissolve the salt and bicarbonate soda before immersing the silver wares.

In less than one minute, TADA! I was happy that the ugly tarnishes were removed! RELIEVED! (Dry the silver and thats it!)

Cooking cooking!

Don't misunderstand the title of the post, Home Economics is not just about cooking! 

Anyway, last wednesday, the interns from TP brought ingredients to school to prepare Curry Puffs after school ended. 

It feels good to have interns who are teaching the same subject as me. (: Its just like seeing an old friend after a long time. But they'll be leaving a few weeks' time. ):

  

Zafirah, Jaclyn and me :) ; photo credits to Zafirah :)

Practicum! :D

Today is the fourth day of my practicum! Still surviving and kicking! :D

Have been doing classroom observation and helping/ assisting the teacher when she need help for lessons (theory and practical) And I really learnt many new things from my CT. :) I've met new colleagues, and also some whom I met during TP's Student Internship Programme two years back. I am happy to be back. :)

I've also met 2 juniors from TP which are currently having their 7th week of SIP here. I had a nice time with them and I must say, it feels good to see people who are on the "same boat" and we're learning from each other.

Today was a rather hectic day for me as I had 6 periods in a row! Totally tiring, but what I can say is, ACCEPT it :) anyway its going to be almost a full load of a teacher. I'm learning.

Hope the rest of my friends are having a good time in their practicum school learning new things and adapting to the environment. :) Cheers to all! Have a great day ahead! And soon, its going to be the last day of the weekday! FIGHTINGGGGG! :D

do the BOLLYWOOD style.

Learning journey is definately a very good way of incorporating lessons outside the classroom. The visit to the Bollywood Veggies is definately an enriching experience for me! I wonder if some one would make a visit there (especially for the 21st century modern children) how many types of plans can you actually identify?

A whole wide range of spices, fruit trees, and flowers! EYE OPENER FOR ME! :) Organically grown!

Various types of flowers at the farm! Look at the colours! PRETTY :D

Longan trees, have you ever seen longans grown on trees? Netting is wrapped over the longans to prevent birds/ insects to eat the fruits :) Also to ensure the harvest :)

The guide told us that the Bollywood farm has up to 5 different species of bananas. Some edible and some not, are you able to identify them? (The flowers of edible bananas are facing down and the inedible one will face up)

Flower? Yes it is, but its an inedible banana flower plant :) DO NOT EAT! Will cause cardiac arrest!

I totally love this part of the farm, its Roselle! Roselle has recently become very 'pop' in the market due to its high amount of antioxidant which is known as anthocyanin which is in a deep purple-red!

Food from the farm! Hot from the kitchen and fresh from the farm! :D

Some random photos of the girls under the unbrella in the hot sun! :D

And, me, "Hello!" :)

COOK. BAKE. HOST.

Time before the start of practicum isn't much, so since my mum and I had some time, we went to ToTT, which is located at 896, Dunearn Road.

ToTT is definately a one-stop store if you are thinking of purchasing cooking wares or even exortic ingredients. There is a wide range of items especially for baking wares, you can find almost everything you need there! Other than just having a "mini mart" selling ingredients, a big and huge store of equipment, there's even a bistro and a cooking studio that you can attend lessons at as they have a wide range of courses you can sign up for!

A whole wide range of pastas with different flavours. Interesting!

A "bake & go" station with ready made cookie doughs, just pay for the dough and you get to bake there! All fully equipments you need for the baking! Good for people who wants to bake and yet does not have much equipments :)

Few whole shelves of cook books with some cook books of famous chefs like Jamie Oliver!

Cooking studio with everything you need for the cooking lesson! Even apron is provided!

At the bistro serving quite limited variation of food...........

Free flow of drinks! Good for a long afternoon..

Mushroom soup with.......... Spring onion as garnishing..? I don't think its quite suitable for a western soup!

Durian fritter, which is something new, would be a super-love thing for durian lovers!

That's all for now (:
http://www.tottstore.com/ for more information! :D



The painless plastic surgery (for pictures only!)

Who doesn't like flawless skin, no blemishes, no pigmentation, no eye bags, no wrinkles, no double chin? In real life, I think only really perfect people like the only one in a million would have such qualities! Pretty models and idols on the magazine cover, are they really so perfect like how they look like in real life? Maybe not! (I've seen my idols right infront of my eyes, with skin- that doesn't look that perfect like what they looked like on magazines and articles. After a long hours, make up smudges and "fall" from the face which reveals the truth below make up, so TADA, yeah. Sometimes make up can't even do the job of covering serveral types of skin problems, ie, the "orange skin" surface if you get what I mean).

To the main point, because of doing the Comparative study for the magazine project, I finally (I really mean finally) I got the chance to "explore" Photoshop! It really does wonders, and thinking of it, we have been really relying on Photoshop for our photos in the magazine.

Anyway, I'm proud to present to you a FOOD photo (I think I shouldn't be so bad to reveal the Photoshop-ed photos of my group members for this comparison here- Hehe)

BOOMZ! Froyo (Frozen Yogurt)! :D

The trick about capturing nice photographs of froyo is that is melts super quickly, so at times you will take a photo of a froyo that looks quite melted and that is totally unsightly for a magazine quality photo. So the above photo, can you see what is the difference? (IT IS REALLY THE SAME PHOTO!)


In the photo:
-The melted tip has become "stiff" again and having a nice sharp tip.
-The kiwi, strawberry and peaches look more!


FYI, I only used one of the function which is Liquify! Cool right? This function can also used to make eyes bigger, darkening make up, making your smile look nicer, etc~ Just explore and you'll get the hang of it! :D



That's all for now! Looking forward to visit the Bollywood Vegetable Farm this Friday! :D